A 50kW solar mini-grid installed at the upgraded Degema General Hospital in Rivers State is expected to improve healthcare delivery, reduce operating costs and ease the burden on patients who previously travelled to Port Harcourt for medical attention because of unreliable electricity supply.
The project, facilitated by Senator Ipalibo Harry Banigo, who represents Rivers West Senatorial District and chairs the Joint Committee on Health of the 10th National Assembly, has a 120kWh lithium battery storage capacity and is valued at ₦100 million.
Executed by Bidmusdruhill Nigeria Limited, the intervention is designed to provide reliable and sustainable electricity for operations at the Primary Healthcare Centre and the new Zonal Hospital.
Stakeholders and health workers in Degema Local Government Area commended Banigo for the initiative, noting that erratic power supply had hampered service delivery and forced some patients to seek medical attention in Port Harcourt.
The solar installation comprises 48kW of solar panels, a 50kW three-phase inverter and 120kWh lithium battery storage system, intended to ensure a more stable power supply for the health facilities.
The project is also expected to reduce dependence on the national grid and ease the financial pressure associated with conventional electricity supply and rising energy costs.
With a more dependable power source, the hospitals are expected to provide a better working environment for healthcare professionals and improve the delivery of essential services to residents of Degema and neighbouring communities.
The solar project forms part of Banigo’s broader interventions aimed at improving access to healthcare across Rivers West Senatorial District.
Under her Bringing Healthcare Home initiative, 6,862 health insurance cards have been distributed across the district to enable beneficiaries to access medical services at no cost.
Other interventions include the provision of medical equipment worth millions of naira to Degema General Hospital and the renovation of six primary healthcare centres in Iselema, Mbiama, Ataba, Isile-Ogono, Ochigbo and Koroma.
The senator has also facilitated free medical outreaches in Bonny and Degema local government areas.
Meanwhile, construction of a new healthcare centre at Ogonokom in Abua/Odual Local Government Area is ongoing.
A new emergency centre in Bonny, sponsored by Banigo and captured in the 2026 Appropriation Act, is also expected to commence soon.
The Degema solar mini-grid is expected to strengthen healthcare infrastructure in the riverine community, where dependable electricity is essential to improving hospital operations and bringing medical services closer to residents.